Official Ashes Thread

[The Bloop]

Great end to a great series. Thought the weather would scupper a positive result earlier, but glad it finished.
Not a single run-out in the entire series.
Why is it though, that they could've carried on til late in the evening to get all the overs in today, but can't on other days?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

I couldn’t see England taking ten wickets today, especially with most of the afternoon washed out, but, while everyone talks about the batting with bazball, it also has seen them become far better at taking twenty wickets in the match than they were.

The winning margins of two and three wickets and two of forty odd runs shows how close the series was, but it’s hard to see how it would have been anything other than a very comfortable win for England at Old Trafford if it were not for the rain.

The one negative for me is that a five match test match series in this country should not be finishing in July as it was shoehorned into almost a month to accommodate the bloody Hundred - what an anti climax the next month threatens to be.

Agree with the last paragraph.

I also think England were better than the Australians by a distance. I always associated their teams with toughness and resilience, but they seemed to capitulate whenever the game was getting away from them. Not since the sight of Warner and Smith crying over the ball tampering fiasco have they looked the same. Ok, they are 'world test champions' but that's an engineered format which doesn't really reflect the strength of the test playing nations. Lots of praise for the Aussie top 4 but in truth they never really got on top of the England attack [incl. Stokes and Root !]

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Agree with the last paragraph.

I also think England were better than the Australians by a distance. I always associated their teams with toughness and resilience, but they seemed to capitulate whenever the game was getting away from them. Not since the sight of Warner and Smith crying over the ball tampering fiasco have they looked the same. Ok, they are 'world test champions' but that's an engineered format which doesn't really reflect the strength of the test playing nations. Lots of praise for the Aussie top 4 but in truth they never really got on top of the England attack [incl. Stokes and Root !]

In a series that was so close in every test and resulted in an draw, how can you say that England were better by some distance?

[poc]

that bloody 100 competition, the best time for cricket taken up by a useless game that benefits none of cricket

[the other bob wilson]

I’ve a question on an individual from either team and their influence on the outcome. In Australia’s case, how much did they miss Nathan Lyon? My answer to that is an awful lot, but maybe more than they needed to have done because Murphy improved the batting and wasn’t a bad replacement as a bowler. However, I’m not sure how much Cummings trusted Murphy early on, and maybe Headingley would have been different if he’d been used more there?

On the England side, the sad question is did the faith shown in Jimmy Anderson cost them? He beat Steve Smith all ends up with his first ball of the day yesterday, but that was as good as it got for him and he was fourth or fifth choice by the end. There’s an obvious reason for it - someone who’s forty one shouldn’t be anywhere near non age group international sport. However, what I found interesting was that his speeds were still around 83/84 mph, which is consistently quicker than Robinson and about the same as Woakes, but the comparison with the latter is telling because Woakes had something (a fizz?) that Anderson didn’t. I said that I think Anderson would hang on to get to seven hundred wickets, but I’m beginning to think he’s not going to get there - the man who was as good as ever in his late thirties seems to have finally lost it in his forty second year.

[Majorblue]

Sadly,I think Anderson has seen his age defying trick come to an end.
Arguably the conditions were tailor made for him in the last two tests yet the consistent ability to challenge the batsman appears to be lost.
With Broad retired it would be tailor made for the other member of the duo to also announce his retirement from playing.
However, I believe that he should be kept in the international set up as he must have so much knowledge on quick bowling and more importantly how to look after your body beari3ng in mind the catalogue of injuries that have effected quickies in the English set up over the years.

[Hilts]

They obviously missed Lyon but England could easily have won the first 2 tests as well.

Woakes showed he should have played all 5 and ok Wood maybe couldnt physically play all 5 but England were without Archer who would have played and Stone who they probably wouldnt have selected anyway.

Express pace makes a big difference. Head and Labuschange really looked uncomfortable to Wood. Labuschange scored one hundred feasting when England were forced to play spin in bad light. England did well to contain him and Smith to a lesser extent.

Back that up with what Woakes and Broad produced and if England had that line up at the start I think theyd have won.

India coming up and a whole new challenge. From somewhere England need at least 2 spinners. Also they surely have to play Foakes with the emphasis on spin.

I really dont see a place for Anderson in India and Woakes must be a guaranteed starter next home series so I think the decision on retirement needs to be taken out of his hands.

[poc]

they missed lyon the most i think he can control an end allowing the quickies a break each time as for anderson hes going to need to be told its over now on the pitch, this was a series to far, really feel for tongue being dropped did nothing wrong at all now as hilts said they are looking for 2 spinners for india ,but from where ? and shut down cricket at the best time for spinners to bowl for a nothing bash about comp

[The Bloop]

I thought the selectors would have rotated the bowlers more to keep them fresh throughout the series,but they seemed to persist with picking Anderson for sentimental reasons. Josh Tongue was picked to bring some pace to the attack whilst Wood was unfit and I thought Matthew Potts was unlucky to miss out altogether. Injuries to Leach and Pope, together with Stokes not bowling much, upset the balance of the team and Moeen was an obvious replacement. Reham Ahmed can feel a little annoyed at not getting picked at some point. His time will come though, and will probably play all the winter tests. Long term he could replace Leach as no1, especially if Root and possibly Stokes offer a second spinner option. His batting will add more depth.

[TWGL1]

They obviously missed Lyon but England could easily have won the first 2 tests as well.

Woakes showed he should have played all 5 and ok Wood maybe couldnt physically play all 5 but England were without Archer who would have played and Stone who they probably wouldnt have selected anyway.

Express pace makes a big difference. Head and Labuschange really looked uncomfortable to Wood. Labuschange scored one hundred feasting when England were forced to play spin in bad light. England did well to contain him and Smith to a lesser extent.

Back that up with what Woakes and Broad produced and if England had that line up at the start I think theyd have won.

India coming up and a whole new challenge. From somewhere England need at least 2 spinners. Also they surely have to play Foakes with the emphasis on spin.

I really dont see a place for Anderson in India and Woakes must be a guaranteed starter next home series so I think the decision on retirement needs to be taken out of his hands.

Interesting post about express pace

Steve Smith averages 29.97 against 90+ MPH

And he averages 60.94 for bowling speeds between 80-90 MPH

[TWGL1]

Funnies from the Ashes

https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...s-2023-funnies

[TWGL1]

https://fb.watch/mPhE-thFa9/

A bit on Bairstow stumping